F 1631 
.R66 



I FERNS, FLOWERS, ETC. 



-OF- 



BCRMtifi^a 



•WITH 



\ \ A Short Sketch 

S^ -^VOF ITS- 



History and Appearance. 

By y. L. Robinson. 



FKRNS, FLOWERS, ETC. 



OF 



BERMUDA, 



WITH 



R SHDRT SKETCH DF ITS HISTORY AHC 
APPEARilNCE. 

BY J. L.. ROBINSON. 



Copyright, i8S8, by J. L. Robinson. 



TRINITY Church, Hamilton, Bermuda, 
was destroyed by fire on Sunday morn- 
ing, January 27, 1884. 

In May, 18S6, the foundation-stone of the 
new church was laid, and since then the 
work of rebuilding has progressed as stead- 
ily as the circumstances will permit. 

The new church is a pleasing and sub- 
stantial structure. It possesses graceful 
outlines, and is composed of good material. 
Its foundation is excellent, and all the work 
has been executed in a neat, tasteful, and 
honest manner. 

We offer our warmest thanks to the kin'd ' 
friends who have helped us to rebuild our 



church. But a great deal still remains to be 
-done, and the work is retarded by the 
scarcity of funds to carry it on. 

About ^3,000 are wanted to finish the 
nave and make it ready for divine service. 
An Episcapal Church is greatly needed in 
the town of Hamilton. 

Those who live in a large country have no 
idea of the difficulty experienced in raising 
money in a small and isolated community. 

To visitors especially we now appeal for 
help. 

Will you, kind reader, do your part ? 

Subscriptions received at Royal Gazette 
office, Hamilton, Bermuda. 






^-^^'^SO 



o 



O 



In 



FERNS, FLOWERS, ETC., OF BERMUDA. 



-t' 



"For our inchanted Islands which is 
Kept as some say with spirits, will 
Wrong no friend or foe, but yield 
All men their expectations." 

— Silvanus yotirdain. 



THE Bernaudas, " Fairest gems of the 
Sea," are six hundred and twenty-five 
miles from Cape Hatteras, in North Amer- 
ica, which is the nearest land. These islets 
lie on the bosom of the Atlantic Ocean, 
caressed by her wav'es when in gentle 
humor, and when in anger lashed by her 
furious storms. 



The sea, beautiful in all her moods, is 
almost unique in and around these lovely 
islands. At one time she is rippling and 
flashing in the sunshine like millions of 
diamonds ; again, she is still blue and trans- 
parent, with the most delicate aquamarine' 
shades, so clear that }^ou can see fishes of 
many hues and shapes darting and gliding 



around the corals, oysters, scallops, and 
sponges lying at the bottom. The agitated 
white sand held in a state of suspension, 
causes the water to maintain, continually, 
this wonderful, clear, and luminous appear- 
ance. These islands are the tops of some 
sea mountains, built upon by the coral in- 
sect, and raised to their present height on 
the south side b}^ sand drifts. 

They are possibly peaks of the lost 
"Island of Atlantis," which "sank to the 
bottom of the deep, deep sea," ages before 
the Christian era. 

If this legend is true, Bermuda has a 
submerged continent lying beneath her. 

These islands take their name from Juan 
Bermudez, who discovered them in the year 



1515. The first recorded mention of them 
is in the writings of Gonsalvo Ovieda, an 
adventurer and historian, who sailed in the 
ship commanded by Juan Bermudez. 

Spanish Rock, on the south side of 
Smith's Parish, is known as the oldest land- 
mark in Bermuda ; it bears a monogram 
resembling T. F., accompanied by a St. 
George's cross, and is doubtless the work of 
Ferdinand Camelo, who had at one time 
a commission from Philip II. of Spain to 
settle these islands. 

In 1593 Henry May was shipwrecked on 
this coast In his narrative he relates how 
they built a ship of cedar, using lime mixed 
with tortoise oil to fill the seams. For food, 
they took on board thirteen tortoises, and 



% 



now known as the Public Garden, in the old 
town of St. George. 

In 1876 Gen. Sir John Lefroy, then Gov- 
ernor of the Colony, caused a marble tablet 
to be erected to the memory of the brave 
and heroic Admiral. 

Bermuda had at this time a very uncanny 
reputation. She was called the " Island of 
Devils," and was "feared and avoided above 
any place in the world." It appears, on a 
closer acquaintance, that she by no means 
deserved all the ^vicked things that had been 
said of her. Silvanus Jourdain, who was 
one of those shipwrecked with Sir G. Som- 
ers, gives his impressions in the following 
words : "These Islands have ever been ac- 
counted as an inchanted pile of rockes, and 



a desert inhabitation for Dieuls ; but all the 
fairies of the rocks were but flocks of birds, 
and all the Dieuls that haunted the woods 
were but heards of swine. Wherefore my 
opinion of this Island is, that whereas it hath 
been and is still accounted the most danger- 
ous, infortunate, and most forlorne place in 
the world, it is in truth the richest, health- 
fullest, and most pleasing land, and meerely 
natural, as ever man sat foot upon. Wee 
hae gauen a hunting and lien out night by 
night for hogges ; and if we had been welt 
by weather or by wading, wee may lie us 
down so vvett to sleep with a Palmetto leaf 
or two under us and one above us, and we 
sleep soundly without taking any cold, or 
being disturbed with anything else." 



" ' TheGreatSinneof Witchci-aft' wasone 
of the prevailing crimes in i6co. In Ber- 
muda Satan was quite at home; he entered, 
it is true, into the souls of only a few men, 
but a large number of women nourished 
him, a circumstance which could generally 
be proved by a mole or wart or some blem- 
ish on the skin, and to them was given 
power to work ' spells of evil ' on cer- 
tain innocent individuals. The suffering 
innocents on their part feeling them- 
selves to be the victims of the Infernal 
regions, conceived it to be their duty to 
render up all suspected persons to justice ; 
accordingly a number of witches were tried, 
convicted, and punished. Some were duck- 
ed, some hanged, and one named Sarah 



Basset was burnt to death. The day on 
which the last Bermuda witch met her fate 
was extremely hot, and from that circum- 
stance arises the sa5'ing when a very hot 
day occurs, that it is 'A regular Sally Bas- 
set day.' " 

A little later in the centurj'- the " Ducking 
Stool " was an institution exclusively en- 
jo5'ed by women ; if a husband and wife 
quarreled, it was generally found to be the 
woman's fault, so she was taken to the north 
side of Pembroke Parish and ducked in the 
water from two to five times, as was thought 
advisable by her judges. 

Sometimes these entertainments were 
varied b}^ making her stand in a cage in a 
public place or in church, wrapped in a 



white sheet. These little reminiscences 
make one sigh for the " Good old times." 

The nineteenth century cannot offer such 
a novel programme as the seventeenth 
afforded, for the laws now are carried out 
in this country in a very prosaic and im- 
partial manner, but in visiting the different 
places of attraction it is hoped that much 
may still be found to interest and amuse 
the visitor. 

There is regular steam communication 
between New York and Bermuda, with 
regular weekly departures from each place 
during the winter months, and regular 
fortnightly departures during the summer 
months. The Quebec Steamship Co. carry 
the mails between these two ports, and sup- 



ply comfortable ships for passengers. There 
is also a steamer plying monthly between 
Halifax, Bermuda, and Jamaica. This boat 
also carries mails, and is comfortably fitted 
for passengers. 

Bermuda possesses two towns, St. 
George's a quaint old place, and Hamilton, 
the seat of Government. 

These islands are surrounded by a natural 
fortification of coral reefs, but in addition to 
these have a dockyard and military strong- 
holds at Prospect, St. George's, and other 
points, and form an important naval and mil- 
itary station of Great Britain. The floating 
dock in Bermuda is the largest in the world. 

The colony is under the direction of a 
Governor, Council, and House of Assem- 



bly. The Chief-Justice and assistant justices 
administer the law. 

The first coin introduced into Bermuda 
was the "hog pennj^," coined in England. 
It had a hog on one side, and on the reverse 
a ship under full sail. Tobacco was used by 
the early settlers instead of money. The 
"hog penny" is now very rare, and is 
valuable only as a relic. At the present 
time English money is in circulation. But 
Americans liave no difficulty in changing 
their dollars into the circulating currency. 

The Bermudas cover an area of about 
twenty square miles. It is so small that the 
ground seems as if it had not room to spread 
out, so runs up into numerous little steep, 
green-clad hills. The sides and the val- 



leys below being thickly studded over with 
houses, white roads and cottages with small 
pieces of cultivated land, where the renown- 
ed onion, tomato, potato, and other vege- 
tables flourish very early in the year, there 
being no chilling frosts, no winter's snow 
to retard their growth. 

Geraniums, roses, lilies, etc., bloom all 
the year round in the open air without 
protection. The oleander, palm, palmetto, 
century plant, bamboo, fiddle wood, India 
rubber, pride of India, flamboyeau, cala- 
bash, and many other tropical plants grow 
in great abundance ; while in rocky situa- 
tions the cedar and sage, with their duller 
hue, tone down the fresh green tints of the 
deciduous trees, and make the whole more 



harmonious. Flitting in and out of the 
leafy covert may be seen the cardinal bird, 
with his red plumage and cockade ; the 
blue-bird, with his crimson vest ; and run- 
ning about beneath the trees, the quaint lit- 
tle ground dove, as unobtnisive in his man- 
ner as in his appearance. 

Bermuda possesses numerous caves adorn- 
ed with stalactites, hanging from the roof 
in every stage of formation. When lighted 
up with flaming branches of dry cedar they 
present a weird and startling appearance. 
The mouth of these caves is sometimes 
almost hidden by trailing vines of wild con- 
volvulus and flowering myrtle. Pajmter's 
Vale and Walsingham Caves and Moore's 
calabash tree, under which the poet loved 



to sit, are much frequented and pleasant 
places for picnics. Harrington Sound is a 
beautiful sheet of water. It is almost a lake, 
but has one very narrow passage leading 
into the sea through which the tide ebbs and 
flows. 

The "Devil's Hole," sometimes called 
' ' Neptune's Grotto, " contains many curious- 
looking fish. Among them are the grouper, 
the snapper, and the beautiful angel-fish. 

There are two lighthouses. That on Gibbs' 
Hill, in Port Royal, is a splendid revolving 
light, and may be seen on a clear night 
thirty miles distant. The other is on St, 
David's Island ; it is a white, fixed light. 

Sea-bathing in this semi-tropical climate 
is a great luxury. The shores abound with 



little natural caves, which make pleasant 
dressing-rooms, and the water is so buoyant 
that swimming is easy. The directions 
given to a boy ignorant of the art, were 
these: "Keep your hands down and kick 
like thunder." The boy obeyed, and to his 
surprise, found that his bod^f was lighter 
than the water. He soon became an expert 
swimmer. 

Boat-racing is the favorite pastime of 
Bermudians. The most aristocratic races 
are held under the auspices of " The Royal 
Bermuda Yacht Club." During the summer 
months every Friday afternoon is given to 
employes, that they may freely indulge 
in this amusement. Numbei^s of boats of 



all sizes may be seen with tall, raking masts, 
spreading their sails to the breeze like eagles' 
wings, and skimming swiftly along between 
the numerous islands. The bright blue, red, 
or striped yellow caps and jerseys of the 
boatmen, and the shouts of the victorious 
party as they round the stake -boat, combine 
to make a bright and exciting scene. 

Fairy Land is very beautiful by moon- 
light. The little row-boats glide "in and 
out and round about," and under the fan- 
tastic roots of the mangrove trees, which 
throw strange shadows over the water. It 
is very calm, very peaceful. All is still save 

the 

" Low sound of leaves and splash of oars. 
And lapsing waves on quiet shores." 



J THB HAMILTON,*^ 

BERMUDA ISI^ANDS. 



This Popular and Elegant Hotel WILL BE OPEN for the reception of guests December 20, 1S8S. 




^^^'^^K;^^! 



The house is the largest and finest building in llie City of Hamilton, and is situated on the highest land. 

The ventilation and drainage are perfect. The views from it are unsurpassed, and the cuisine and 

service are unequaled. For Circulars, giving terms and other information, apply to 

WAI.TER AIKEN, Proprietor, 



Franklin Falls, ?i. H., till Dec. Dth. 



Bermuda, after Dec. i^tlt. 



THE QUEBEC STEAMSHIP e0MPANY 



Will run the magnificent steamships TRINIDAD and OK.IMOCO 
between New York and Bermuda, leaving Pier 47 North River, at 3 p.m. every 
Thursday, and reaching Bermuda early next Sunday morning. 

These vessels were designed especially for the Bermuda trade, and no 
expense has been spared in their construction. Their cabins are large, unusu- 
ally high, ensuring good light and ventilation, and are fitted luxuriously, with 
electric lights, and in the latest and most approved style. 

Round trip first-class tickets, including meals and staterooms, fifty dollars 
each, and are good for six months. For further information in regard to them 
apply to 

^A.. K. OUTEKBKIDQE c^ CO., AgeiiLis, 

No, 51 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



I nil II 



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